Energy represented 62% of EU imports from Russia
In 2021, Russia was the fifth largest partner for EU exports of goods (4.1% of extra-EU exports, equivalent to €89 billion) and the third-largest partner for EU imports of goods (7.5% of extra-EU imports, equivalent to €158 billion).
The COVID-19 crisis caused both exports and imports between the EU and Russia to fall in 2020, bringing the trade deficit close to €16 billion, the lowest trade deficit between 2011 and 2021 between the EU and Russia. In this decade, the EU’s trade deficit with Russia has decreased from €89 billion in 2011 to €69 billion in 2021.
Both exports to and imports from Russia decreased between 2011 and 2021. EU exports to Russia were highest in 2012 (€118 billion) and lowest in 2016 (€69 billion). EU imports from Russia were highest in 2012 (€204 billion) and lowest in 2020 (€95 billion).
EU energy imports dropped 14.2 pp in 10 years
Looking at the breakdown by product, energy was the most imported product by the EU from Russia in 2021. Energy represented 62% of EU imports from Russia last year (equivalent to €99 billion), indicating a significant drop of 14.2 percentage points (pp), compared with 2011, when energy represented almost 77% of EU imports from Russia (€148 billion).
Between 2011 and 2021, EU energy imports from Russia were highest in 2012 (€157 billion) and lowest in 2020 (almost €60 billion).